A stranger at her door
by Millie 1985
Summary: Gwen is trying to let go of Arthur and move on with her life until she is given some advice by a mystery visitor. Set after sweet dreams.


_Summary:_ Gwen is trying to let go of Arthur and move on with her life until she is given some advice by a mystery visitor. Set after sweet dreams.

**A stranger at her door**

Gwen had always believed it was impossible for someone to break their own heart but she had just proven herself wrong. As she had told Arthur she could never be his Queen and watched pain spread across his handsome features her heart ached, as he had walked out of her door looking truly dejected she had felt it shatter in her chest.

Hours after Arthur had left her there was a gentle tap on Gwen's door; she opened it cautiously half worried it would be Arthur half hoping it would be, she was both relived and disappointed.

There was no prince at her door but a young woman who could be no more than 16. Gwen had never seen this girl before but the tears that filled her eyes made Gwen's heart hurt in an oddly familiar way.

"Are you Guinevere?" the girl asked in a soft desperate tone

"Yes but most people call me Gwen" Gwen replied

The strange girl seemed to try to smile but it didn't work and her tears were now coursing down her cheeks

"Can I help you with something?" Gwen asked feeling helpless in the face of the girl's tears

"I hope so" the girl said holding up a piece of cloth that Gwen hadn't noticed before

"My uncle told me once you were -em are- the best seamstress in Camelot and I have ripped the hood from my cloak, father will be so mad if he finds out" the girl explained

Gwen smiled full of relief a torn hood was no match for her

"Come in, we will have your cloak fixed before your father even misses you" she replied warmly

"I doubt that" the girl snorted as she entered Gwen's home

"He has probably sent out the search parties already"

"Then I will work quickly" Gwen reassured her

"Not too quickly I hope, I have heard so much about you and I am glad I have a chance to meet you" the girl told her smiling brightly

"Well I am glad to meet you too" Gwen said with an equally bright smile "Though I don't know your name"

"Oh I have far too many names to bore you with all of them" the girl said flippantly

"But my favourite is Bronwyn, most people call me Bronnie"

Gwen took a seat at her table and pulled out her sewing kit as she did so she watched how Bronnie took in every detail of her home

The girl did not fit in with her plain surroundings. She had caramel skin, golden curls and big blue eyes on top of that she wore a gown of warm velvet that would have put all of Morgana's dresses to shame. It was clear to Gwen that Bronnie did not belong in the world of servants

"Who is it that told you about me?" Gwen asked unable to quash her curiosity

"Almost everyone in my life has told me something or other about you but my uncle and father have told me the most" Bronnie answered absently as she continued to gaze around her

"What of your mother?" Gwen asked as she began to reattach the hood to the cloak

Bronnie stopped her exploration and sat down opposite Gwen before answering sadly

"She died when I was very young, this belonged to her" she said referring to the cloak Gwen was working on

"My father had it made for her, that's why he would be so mad with me if he ever found out I damaged it"

"He will never need to know" Gwen promised her

"I am sorry for the loss of your mother" she added softly

"She was a wonderful person" Bronnie whispered

"She was always thinking of others that's how she died. She got sick after looking after some local children, they survived she didn't"

Gwen could hear love and sadness fill Bronnie's voice in equal measure and her heart broke for the fourth or fifth time that day (In truth she had lost count)

"How old were you?" she couldn't help but ask

"3" Bronnie whispered sadly

"I'm sorry" Gwen repeated reaching over and taking Bronnie's hand

"She was happy and loved her life that comforts me" Bronnie told Gwen as she regained her compositor

"She loved my father more than anything" said Bronnie with a slightly dreamy smile

"Not more than she loved you, I'm sure" Gwen told her firmly not doubting the truth in her words for a moment.

"Tell me Gwen have you ever been in love?" Bronnie asked

"Yes I am" the honest answer slipped out before she could stop it.

"But nothing can come of it, he and I can never be together" she explained quickly

"Don't talk like that Gwen" Bronnie urged her

"At one time my father believed that he and my Mother could never be together but they became each other's whole life, you can never give up. Please Gwen promise me you will not give up hope" Bronnie sounded almost desperate and Gwen found that she couldn't help but acquiesce to her request

"I'll try" she assured the younger woman but it didn't seem to be enough

"If you love him Gwen you must fight for him, never give up no matter how hard things become"

Bronnie seemed to be almost begging now

"I promise" Gwen swore finding she could't do anything else

"Thank you" Bronnie sighed

"I should be going soon" she said sadly

Gwen had actually forgotten why Bronnie was sitting in her home but luckily her hands had continued to sew when her mind had been else where

"Good as new" Gwen announced holding up the beautiful cloak. It was made of fur lined red velvet there were golden flours embroidered along every edge and the fastenings were made of gold

"Thank you so much Gwen" Bronnie whispered as Gwen fastened the cloak for her

"You are so welcome Bronnie" Gwen whispered back as she showed her to the door

"I feel so blessed to have finally met you" Bronnie smiled as she wrapped Gwen in a hug that was as warm as her smile

Gwen was slightly surprised but she returned the hug and the sentiments

"And I you, I hope to see you again"

"You will someday" Bronnie promised

"Goodbye Guinevere"

"Goodbye Bronwyn"

With that Bronnie stepped out of the door and closed it behind her.

Gwen was surprised to find that the home she had always loved suddenly felt very empty without her vibrant visitor

She received another surprise when she began to tidy away her sewing kit; an expensive looking pendant was nestled among the material and thread. She didn't know how it got there but she knew it wasn't hers. She snatched it up and raced out into the street in search of Bronnie. She shouldn't have been able to get far but Gwen could not find a trace of her or anyone else out on the street.

Gwen looked down at the pendent in her hand; it was about the size of her palm and made of gold but that was all she could tell in the dark.

Back inside Gwen could see that the pendant was covered in intricate carvings, there were many of them but they all depicted the same creature. A dragon.

With a slightly sick feeling in her stomach Gwen flipped the pendant over and confirmed what she was beginning to suspect. With a gasp of shock and fear Gwen read the engraving on the back.

**_Princess _**

**_Ygraine_**

**_Guinevere _**

**_Melinda _**

**_Thomasine_**

**_Bronwyn _**

**_Morgana _**

**_Elizabeth _**

**_Pendragon_**

Gwen knew it should have been impossible but she truly believed she had just met Arthur's daughter

In one way Gwen was filled with hope and in another she was heartbroken. She had only met Bronnie for a short time but she was sure that if the future of Camelot was in her hands then it was safe but now she knew she really did have to let Arthur go so that he could meet and fall in love with Bronnie's mother

The thought of losing Arthur hurt but it wasn't the most painful part of what she had learned that evening. The worst part was knowing that she would have to stand by and watch as Arthur fell out of love with her and into love with some beautiful noble woman. She couldn't run away and pretend it wasn't happening because she had to be there to ensure that Bronnie didn't lose her mother at a young age, she would do whatever it took even if it meant that she took care of the sick children herself and gave her life in the place of Arthur's wife.

Gwen wished she didn't have to break her promise to Bronnie but she was sure that if Bronnie had been aware of who it was she was in love with she would never have made Gwen promise to fight in the first place.

Gwen knew she should dispose of the pendant, that the only way a princess that didn't exist yet could have been in her home was by magic but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bear to lose the only connection she had to the girl she so desperately wished could have been her and Arthur's child.

She was debating the best place to hide it when there was a soft tap on her door. Gwen threw open the door hoping that it would be Bronnie but she was disappointed. There was no princess at her door but Merlin

"Hello Merlin" she greeted quickly hiding the pendant in her apron pocket before holding the door open for him to enter

"Hello Gwen, sorry I can't stay. Arthur wanted me to give you this "he said handing her a package

"He had it made for you he was worried about how cold your home can get" he explained before leaving without coming in.

Gwen was torn, if she was truly letting go of Arthur she should return his gift unopened but she reasoned if she really did have to return it the least she could do was open it.

She ripped open the paper to find a cloak but it wasn't just any cloak it was the cloak.

The implications of Arthur's gift and the things Bronnie had told her hit Gwen hard.

The pain that had been gripping Gwen's chest since she had discovered Bronnie's true identity began to fade away leaving Gwen feeling light hearted and full of hope. Gwen knew that the future was not set in stone but she had seen a glimpse of what her future could be if only she fought for it and as she drifted to sleep that night wrapped in Arthur's cloak and clutching Bronnie's pendant she swore she would fight.

_AN: OK I am not at all sure what to think of this story, This idea popped into my head and I fell in love with it but I don't love how it turned out on paper. So if you guys have any comments I would love to hear them. Constructive criticism is more than welcome _

_Thanks for reading Millie_


End file.
